Plastic button



June 10, 1969 CHERNACK ETAL 3,448,495

PLASTIC BUTTON Filed June 13, 1967 I u FORM COAT BUTTON I; WIRE FORM INTO POLISH g S MOLD AROUND STAPLE I JOINED FIG. 4

MOLD THREAD SIMULATION ALBERT H. ma s cf??? gfi zgifgf MILTON R CHERNACK ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,448,495 PLASTIC BUTTON Milton P. Chernack, West Hempstead, N.Y., and Albert H. Torongo, Jr., Washington Crossing, Pa., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Scurlock, Inc.

Filed June 13 1967, Ser. No. 650,564 Int. Cl. A44b 1/42 US. Cl. 24-96 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A button is formed of plastic and has a pair of plastic coated metal legs extending from it, the button at its top and sides having the appearance of standard buttons now in use, such as on mens shirts. This button is manufactured by incorporating a plastic coated wire member of U-shape with a molded element, which is cemented to a button body which is made by standard techniques, from standard materials, but which additionally has a recess on the underside. Simulated molded plastic threads may be added.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to a plastic button having extending metal legs which are used to secure the button to fabrics, clothing or the like. The present invention also relates to the process by which the button is made.

Around the turn of the century, there were disclosed various button configurations which were of metal, and which provided a pair of bendable legs, these legs usually form part of a U-shaped or staple element. Such metal buttons included constructions in which a base element was provided with holes, the stable legs were passed through the holes in the base element, and a cover or the like was clinched over the base element, thereby concealing the head of the staple.

In more recent times, with the advent of plastic buttons, generally made of polyester, several proposals have been made for the inclusion of bendable staple or other metal legs with such plastic buttons. In one suggested construction, a plastic button was provided of a simple cylindrical configuration and having a pair of holes, and the legs of a staple element of metal were passed through these holes, in preparation to being clinched to secure the button to the fabric. The metal staple element in this prior art device was provided with simulated threads in an attempt to present an appearance like that of an ordinary button in use. However, this construction did not provide for the assemblage of the staple element with the button portion so that they could be used as a unit in a stapling machine, nor does the thread simulation present a suitably close appearance to that of the normal button.

In another suggestion, a small diameter spacing disc was secured to a large diameter button part by means of screws with nuts, a double-pointed staple having its pronge extending through holes in the spacing disc, With its head portion lying in a groove in the spacing disc. Such a button did not present the appearance of an ordinary plastic button, and was expensive to manufacture.

Another suggestion was of a plastic button formed of a solid molded piece having a wide diameter portion and an integral small diameter portion, and with a staple head and part of the staple prongs embedded in the molded button. Such a construction, while being elemental in concept, does not provide the appearance of a normal button and does not provide staple legs which are protected from rusting.

Summary of the invention An object of the present invention is to provide a button having a very close appearance to that of buttons currently in use, and which will have bendable legs extending from it to permit attachment to fabrics, garments and the like. Another object is the provision of a button having substantially the same appearance as standard buttons now in use, including 'pearlescence and a high polish.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a button which will Withstand the stresses imposed by presently used laundering techniques, and specifically, to pro vide a button which will not deteriorate physically or change in appearance, either the plastic body of the button, nor the staple. It is a still further object of this invention to provide a button which has no adverse eflfect on the fabric or other material with which it is used, as by being reactive with or abrasive thereto, and to provide a button which will have the physical configuration to prevent damage to the fabric by the staple of the button. It is also an object to provide a button which may be used in a button stapling device.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method for making a button having the above desideratum, which method is economical, requires no unusual or unobtainable materials, and which may be practiced without the requirement for additional complex machinery.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a cross sectional, exploded view of a button in accordance with the present invention taken on the line 11 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the button of the present invention, looking at the top thereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the button of the present invention, showing the bottom thereof.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the process in accordance with the present invention.

Description of the preferred embodiments 4 Referring now to the drawings, wherein like or corresponding parts are given like or corresponding reference numerals throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 a button generally designated 10, having a button body 11 of polyester. The button body 11, which is highly polished, has the general shape of a flat disc, and in the upper face 12 thereof has a central recess 13. Opposite the upper face 12 is a lower face 14, in which there is a recess 16, which in the preferred form is centrally located and is of a greater diameter than the recess 13. The recesses 13 and 16 do not meet in the interior of the button body 11, but are spaced by a transversely extending web 17 provided with a plurality of holes 18 which are parallel to the axis of-button body 11. Holes 18 are arranged in a regular pattern about the axis of button body 11; while there are but two holes 18 shown in FIG. 1, it will be understood that in practice it is preferred to provide four such holes 18, to thereby provide an arrangement of holes 18 which in number and location are identical with the thread holes provided in conventional buttons.

A base element 21 has an extension 22 of size and shape to mate with the recess 16 in the lower face 14 of button body 11. As may be seen in FIG. 2, both the recess 16 and the extension 22 are circular in plan form. A suitable cement, such as epoxy adhesive, is provided as a layer 23 on the upper surface of the extension 22, and this adhesive serves to securely attach the button body 11 to the base element 21. It will be appreciated, however, that the adhesive 23 may be applied to the button body 11, instead of or in addition to being applied to the base element 21. Base element 21 also comprises a bar 24 which extends diametrically across the bottom of the extension 22 (see also FIG. 3), and

has a length slightly greater than the diameter of extension 22, but preferably less than the diameter of button body 11. The height of extension 22 is substantially the same as the depth of recess 16, so that the upper surface of the bar 24, where the bar extends beyond the periphery of the extension 22, is in approximately engaging contact with the lower surface 14 of button body 11.

The base element 21, Which is preferably made of nylon, includes a U-shaped element 26 of wire, which is coated with a plastic, also preferably nylon, the plastic coating being indicated at 27. As may be seen, the element 26 comprises a pair of generally spaced, parallel legs 26a and 26b which are provided with chisel-points, and which have a transverse connecting portion 26c between them. The transverse connecting portion 26c and the adjacent portions of the legs 26a and 26b are embedded in the nylon base element 21.

In order to provide a button which will have the closest possible appearance to, for example, conventional mens shirt buttons which are sewn in place, there is provided a molded thread-simulating element 31 having a cruciform upper portion, as shown in FIG. 2, and four depending legs 32 at the ends of the upper portion. The legs 32 are provided in the same pattern, and of an appropriate size, to enter into the holes 18, and when the element 31 is in position, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper surface thereof will be at an elevation lower than the upper face 12 of button body 11, so that when the completed button is used in a button stapling device, no force will be applied to or through the element 31. This also protects element 31 during laundering. Since the height of extension 22 is substantially the same as th depth of recess 16, the legs 32 extend only into the holes 1 8 and not through the web 17. As is clearly seen in FIG. 2, the upper surface of elment 31 is provided with striations to closely simulate attaching threads normally used with buttons. Element 31 is preferably of nylon, and is cemented in position, or may simply be held in position by frictional engagement with the sides of the holes 18.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown the method for making the button 10. Initially, -a button body 11 is formed to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1, the body being of polyester, and being either blanked and machined, or made from a cast sheet which is punched and machined. Polyester buttons are conventionally made by these methods in large quantities, and the distinction between the processes currently used and the process for the production of button body 11 is the addition of a step to provide the recess 16. At the conclusion of the forming process, there is provided a button body 11 of polyester, and having a pearlescent quality due to the addition of perlescent material to the polyester. A plurality of button bodies 11 are then polished, as by tumbling them in a tumble-polisher, although this is merely the preferred manner of providing the button bodies 11 with the desired highly polished, glossy finish.

Wire of a bendable nature, such as stainless steel, is coated, as by passing it through a coating bath, this step being generally illustrated in FIG. 4. Thereafter, the coated wire is formed into U-shaped elements of the desired size, and these U-shaped elements are then supplied to a suitable molding machine which molds the base element 21 about the transverse connecting portion 26c and the adjacent portions of the legs 2 6a and 26b of the U-shaped element 26. Next, the button body 11 and the base element 21 are joined, this step being accomplished, for example, with the application of adhesive such as epoxy glue to the upper surface of the base element 21, and then inserting the extension 22 into the recess 16.

The plastic thread-simulation elements 31 are produced, as by being molded in molding equipment, and are then joined to the button body 11, either through the use of a suitable adhesive, such as epoxy, are by simply inserting the legs 32 of the element 31 into the holes 18, and relying upon friction and resiliency to secure the element 31 in position. The element 31 may be given a milky white coloring to best simulate thread.

The button 10, as herein provided, has an appearance closely simulating that of normally used mens shirt buttons, in that it is made of substantially the same material, and has the same pearlescence and high gloss. Thread simulation is provided, and since the simulation is in a recess, and may be of colored plastic, such as colored nylon, closely approaches the appearance of ordinary threads. The button 11 may be expeditiously and economically attached, by use of a suitable stapling device which imposes compressive forces on it, the legs of the button being pushed through the fabric of a garment, and then clinched into a position underlying the bar of the button. This permits the button to have a rocking motion about the bottom of the bar in order to enable it to be readily passed through a button slit in either a buttonin-g or unbut-toning operation. 'It will be understood, of course, that the bar will be positioned so that it is generally parallel to the button slit of the garment with which it is to cooperate when that slit is in its normal position when the garment is buttoned. The button as herein provided, because of the configuration including the bar, will permit a large number of manipulations of the button, without danger of the staple legs tearing through the garment to which it is attached.

The button of the present invention is made of materials which will withstand the stresses imposed in normal laundering cycles, such as heat, immersion, and the action of detergents and similar cleansing agents.

The process of the present invention is one which enables the buttons to be manufactured using inexpensive materials and processes for the button body, the coated staples and the base element, as well as the thread-simulating element. The joining of these various elements is also accomplished by use of inexpensive materials and equipment.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A button comprising a button body of plastic having an exposed decorative upper face and a lower face, a base element of plastic comprising an elongated bar extending substantially diametrically across the lower face of said button body, said base element being secured to said button body, and a pair of spaced, parallel bendable legs extending downwardly from said bar, said legs being of plastic material only on the exterior surfaces thereof.

2. The button of claim 1, the lower face of said button body having a recess therein, and said base element having an extension mating into said recess.

3. The button of claim 1, said legs being part of a U-shaped element having a transverse connecting portion between said legs, said transverse connecting portion and the immediately adjacent parts of said legs being embedded in said plastic base element.

4. The button of claim '1, wherein said upper surface has a central recess therein, and a web separating said recesses.

5. The button of claim 4, wherein a plurality of holes extend through said web.

6. The button of claim 5, and further comprising means simulating threads in said recess in said upper surface and extending into said holes in said web.

7. The but-ton of claim 1, said legs comprising bendable metal within said last mentioned plastic material. References Cited 8. As an article of manufacture, a button comprising a button body of plastic material UNITED STATES PATENTS having an exposed decorative upper face and a 2,150,563 3/1939 Richmondlower face 5 2,214,030 9/1940 Pereles.

a base element of plastic comprising a bar extending 2,462,717 2/1949 Brownsubstantially diametrically across the lower face of 2,983,875 5/1961 Hubbfillsaid button body, means adhering said base element FOREIGN PATENTS to said button body, and a pair of spaced, parallel bendable legs extending downwardly from said bar, 10 grsg i said legs having the exterior surfaces thereof of 1424726 12/1965 Franca plastic material,

said upper surface having a central recess therein, v

a web forming the bottom of said recess and a plu- BERNARD GELAK Pllmary Exammer' rality of holes extending through said web, and 15 means simulating threads in said recess in said upper 24 9O, 94

surface and comprising legs extending only into said holes in said Web.

US. Cl. XJR. 

